Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



March 4, 1930. R. A. CCANN 1,749,082

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 26, 1929 To Anzpli "Tl/ 91 ll lVENTOR': R-H- Md, Cenn,

i rnNNsYLvANIA Patented Mar. 4, 1930 v U IT D S A S] PATENT OFFICE RONALD A. MCCANN, or SWISSVALE, vPENNS LVANIA, .AVSSIGNORY TO THE UNION swrrcn & SIGNAL, COMPANY, or swIssvALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or RAILZWAYQRAFFIC-CONTROLLING APPARATUS Application filed September 26,1929. Serial nojseases.

My invention relates to railway .traflic controlling apparatus, and particularly to the train-carried portion of ,continuousjnductive train control systems ofthe code type. 1 I One feature of'flmy inVent-ionis the provision of means for checking the operation of the acknowledging relays commonly employed in'systems of thistype.-

I I will describeonefform of apparatus embodying my invention, andf will then point out thenovelffeatures thereof in claims.

,V The accompanying drawing is adiagram- I matic view showingone formof train-carried apparatusembodying my invention. I

Referring to the drawing, the apparatus I comprises three relays R ,"R and R which 1 relays are commonly known as .the 8 authorized,-approach restricting and slowv re; lays 111 a coded continuous nductive train control system, These relays arecontrolled in such manner that relays R and R are'energiz'e'djunder authorized conditlons; relay R and/R are energized under approach restricting conditions; relay R alone isi energized under .slow conditions, and .all three "of the relays are de-energized under stop conditions' :These relays may be controlled by the [apparatus illustrated and described in application iforLetters, Patent of the United States filedby Lloyd V. Lewis on 'Au'gust 2nd, 1927, Serial No. 210,165, for rail:

way traflic controlling apparatus. The trans- I c 7 former, the filter circuits, and the rectifiers which supply current tothese relays are il lustrated in thelpresent drawing merely for purposes ofconvenience, but they areYnot ,proVidedwit-h reference characters, because a v they form no part of my present'invention. 40

Associated with therelays Rare threesti ck relays S, S? and S which relays areknown, as acknowledging relays; The reference character a designates a manually operable acknowledging; switch having a normally. open'contact 71, and a normally closed con tact 52. When" this switch is operated, the normally open contact 71 becomes closed, and

I the normally closed contact 52' becomes 5O opened.

' The reference. character designates a brake controlling magnet which is normally energized, but which when deenergized serves to cause an automatic application of the brakes. This magnet is controlled by the relays B and S in the manner which I will now describe. i a

f When the train is traveling under author,- ize'd conditions, relays R and R are energized, .as hereinbeforestated, and relays S S and S are all de-energized. The brake controlling magnet 55 is then'energized by virtueof a circuit whichpasses from terminal B of a suitable source of current, through front contact 39 of relay R back contact 'which the train is traveling become changed,

so that relay R becomes de-energized and re-' lay R becomes energized, the circuit ust traced formagne'tj will be opened at front contacts 39 and 46 of relay R so that unless another circuit for magnet 55 becomes closed, an automaticapplication ofthe brakes will occur.. When this change takes place, if the engineer momentarily reverses the acknowledging switch a, apick-up circuit for relay S will become closed,'which circuit is from terminal B, through back contact 39 of relay R contact 71 of switch a, the winding of relay'S and back contact l6 of rela R to terminal'O. The closing of relay closes a pick-up, circuit for relay S which circuit is from terminal B, through back contact 39 of relay R front contact 78 of relay S the winding of relay 8 and back contact 46 of relay R to terminal 0. The closing of relay S closes a pick-up circuit for relay S which circuit isfromterminal B, through the back contact 39 of relay R front contact 98 of winding of relay S and back contact 16 of relayjlt to terminal 0. As soon as the acknowledging switch a is restored to its normal condition the pick-up circuit for relay S becomes Opened at contact 71, and the pick-up circuit for relay E5 thenbecoines open at contact 78 of relay S with the result that relay S remains energized, but. relays S and S both become ,de-enen gized. A second circuit for the brake magnet 55 is then closed, which circuit/[passes from terminal '13, through back contact 39 of relay R front contact-61 of relay R front contact 50 of relay S back contact 198 of re? lay S contact 52 of the acknowledging switcha, winding of magneto55, backcontact'1 82 of relay 8?, front contact 57 of relay S and back contact 16 of relay B to terminal O. The trainv may therefore proceed without an automatic application of V the brakes.

I will next assume that the conditions underlwhich the trainis traveling change to.

' slow, so that relay R becomes deen-I ergized, leaving relay R as the only onje nal B, through back contact39of relay back contact 61 of relay B front contact 92 of relay R front contact 198, and frontcon tact 82 ofrelay S winding of rel-ayS and back contact 4:6 of relay R to terminal 0.

After the. acknowledging switch a is restored toits-normal position, relay S? will remain energized due to this stick circuit, and relay S will remain energized because its pick-up circuit is closed at contact 98 of re lay S A third circuitfor thebrake magnet 55 will then be closed, which circuit passes from termina'l'B, through back contact 39 of relay/R back contact 61ofrelay 3?, front contact 92 of relay R -front contact 198- of relay S contact 52 of acknowledging switch a-,'winding of brake magnet 55-, front contact 182 of relay S and back contact 46 of relay R to terminal 0. It follows that the train may then proceed without an automatic f S and S thereby'reduc'ingthe weight and, f

cost of the train-carried equipment, and, of 1 course, also reducing the space occupied lby',

application of the brakes. g

I will now assumethat the train enters an occupied'block or territory which is .not equipped for automatic train control, so that relayolt becomes de-energize'd. The opening of this relay-willonen the stick circuit open, with the-result that relay S will, likewise, open. If the engineerdoe snot operate for relay S so that the latter relay will then cation of the brakes will-occura, If: the engineer does operate the acknowledging switch a, however, relay S Wlll becomeenergized by virtue of thepick-up circuit traced hereinbefore, andas'tick circuit for'this relay will i then become" closed, which circuit passesfrom terminal B, through back contact 39 of relay R back contact 61"of-relay R Qback contact 92 of relay R front contact 103 of relay S Winding of relay S and back contact 16 of relay R to terminal 0. Relayb will become energized] because relay S is'closed, and relayS will become energized because relay S is closed. 'A fourth circuit formagnet 55 will now be closed, which circuit passes from 'terminal'B, through back contact 39 of relay R3, front contactf78 ofrelay S front contact 82' of relay S acknowledging switch contact 52,"wi'nding of brake valve magnet 55, front c0ntact 182 of 1relay S ',"and back contact 46 ofrela'y R te terminal 0. It 'f'ot lows that the train maythen proceed without an automatic application of the brakes.

Assuminglnow that the traflicconditions I under which the trainistravelin'g change so that relays Rtand R become energized, the

stick circuit-f for relay S will be opened at contact 92 of relay R sothat all of thejrel'ays' S S andiS should release. 1*The same thing will be true if the conditions change so" that relays R andR? become energized. It will be notedthat the first circuit for .brake'valve magnet 55 includes backcontacts I of relays'R and R and that the-second V v circ'uitfor this Iiiagnet includes a back contact of relays- Ttfollowsthatwhen tr'a'llic energized unless bothofthe r'elays S? and S open their front contacts and close their back contacts. Similarly, when trafiic conditions chan e from"sto to a reach restricte v .1 l v ing this magnet cannot become energized unless relay S opens. Apparatus construct-- ed in accordance with ,my invention serves,

lays when, conditions change from less favorable to more favorable, becauseaifailure "of either of theserelays to 'releasewillfresult in an'automatic application of thebrakes:

This check makes it pos sible to use small conditions change -from-'stop7"'toi fiauthon izedhb'rakeyalve magnet 55 cannofib'ecome V n light relays of the telephone type for relays i this equipment. Although I ing my invention, it is understood that varizous changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended I v c 7 under stop COIldltlOIlS three stick relays :claimswithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. t i c Having thus described my invention, What I' claim is: v j I 1. Train carried railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising'three relays RKR and R controlledin such manner that relays R1 -and'l t are energized under authorized conditions, relays R and R are energized under approachrestricting conditions, relay R alone is energized under slow ,conditions, and all three relays are de-energized S S and S a manually operable acknowlvedging switch at having a normally open contact 71, a pick-up circuit'for relay 5' including aback contact of relay R and said contact 71, a'pick-up circuit for relay S including a back contact ofrelay R and a front contact of relay a pick-up circuit for relay S including aback contact of relay R and a frontcontact of relay S a stick circuit for relayli -i including a back contact of relay "R and a front contact of relay R a I stick circuit for relay S including a back contact of relay R and a back contact of,

relay'R as well asafront contact of relay R a stick circuit for relay S including back contacts of relays 11 ,11 and R a brake I valve magnet,a first circuit for said magnet including a front contact ofrelay R and a back contact of each relayS and S a second 1 circuit for said magnet includinga back coni tact of a back contact of relay S a third circuitfor said magnet including back contacts of relays R and R aswell as a front contact of relay R and a front contact of relay S and a fourth circuitfor'said magnet including a back contact of relay R and a'front contact of relay S as well asa front contact of c relay S 2. Train carried railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising threerelays 11 ,11 and R controlled insuch manner that relays R and R are energized gunder ,autliorized conditions, relays R andR are energized "under approach restricting conditions, re- "lay R aloneis energ zed under slow con- 1S S and ditions, and all three relaysare de-energized conditions three stick relays a manually operable acknowledging switch a having a normallyopen contact 1, a pick-up circuit for relay S include under stog 3 I ing a back contact of relay R and said contact=71, a pick-upcircuitfor relay S including a back contact of relay R and a front 1 contact of relay So a pick-up circuit for re- I lay S including a back contact of relay R i and front contact of relay S a stick circuit for relay S including aback contact of relay relay R 'anda front contact of relay V R as well as a front contact of'relay S and R and-a front contact of relay R a stick circuit for relay S including a back contact of relay'R and a back contact of relay R as well as afront contact of relay R a stick circuit for relay S including back contacts of relays R R and R a brake valve magnet, and a main circuit for said magnet including back contacts of said relays S and S and a front contact of saidrelay R Train carried railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising three relays R R and it controlled in such manner that-relays R and R are energized under authorized conditions, relays R and R are energized under approach restricting conditions, relay R alone is energized under slow conditions, and all three relays are de-energized under stop conditions; three stick'relays S S and S a manually operable acknowledging switch athaving a normally open contact 71,

means operating if the engineer closes contact 71 upon a change from authorized to approach restricting conditions to energize relays 3 ,8 and S in succession and to subsequently keep relay S energized, means operating if the engineer closes contact 71 upon a change from approach restricting to slow conditions to energize relays S S and S in succession and to subsequently keep relays I 95 engineer closes contact 71 upon a change S and S 'energized,means operating if the from slow to stopconditions'to energize all of said acknowledging relays and to keep them,

energized, a brake valve magnet, a first circuit for said magnet including a, front contact of relay 'R 'andla back contact of each relay S and S ,,a second circuit for said magnet including a back contact of relay R and a front contact of relay R as well as a front contact of relay S and a back contact of relay S a third-circuit for said magnet including back contacts of relays R and R as well as a front contact of relay R and a front conies alone is energized under slow conditions, .1

and all three relays are de-energized under stop conditions; three stick relays S S and S7 a manually operable acknowledging switch (1 having a normally open contact 71,

means operating if the engineer closes contact 71 upon a change from authorized to approach restricting conditions to energize relays S S and S in succession and to subsequently keep relay S energized, means operating if the engineer closes contact 71 upon a change from approach restricting to slow conditions togenergizetrelays S7 S and; S -in net controllediby said R andSr-elays.

succession-and to subsequently keep relays S? and S energized, means operating if the engineer closes contact 71 upon a change from slow to stop-conditions tojenerg-izeall of said acknowledging relays, and to keep them energized, a-brake valve magnet, a main circuit for saidmagnet including back contacts of said relays S and'S and-la front contact of said relay R and-other circuits for said mag- 5., Train carriedrailway traffic controlling apparatus comprisingthree relaysR R and R controlledinsuch. manner that relays R andR are energized under .authorized conditions,re1ays.]it -anclB areenergized under approach restricting cond tions, relay R alone is. energized under wslowioconditions,

all three relays arede energized under v stop .conditionspthreej stick relays S S? and S a manually operable acknowledging switch a; having a normally open contact 71, means operating if the engineer closes contact 71 upon achange from authorized to approach restrictingconditions to energize re la s3 S? and S in success on and to; subse- I quently keeprelay S energized,imeans oper- V .gize'd, ahrake valve magnet, means for enating if 'th'e engineer closeseontact 71 upon a change, from approachrestricting to slow conditions to energize relays S S and S in succession and to subsequently keep relays S and S energized, means operatingif the ene gineer; closes contact 71 upon a change from slow to. stop conditions to energize all of said acknowledging relays and-to keep the nenerergizing saidjmagnetwhi-le relay R is ener gized provided relays S? and S are de-energized, means for energizing saidmagnet while relay R is energized and relayR is .de-energized proyided that relay S isenergized and relay- S Uis de energized, means for energizing said magnet when relays B and B? are deenergized. and relay R is energized provided relay S is energized, and means for energizing said magnet when all three relays R R and R are de-energized' provided that relays S and S?-are;.energized. I s

In testimony whereof I-afliX my signature.

A. MCCANN.- 

